Student Intern - Legal Intern (3L)

Position Overview

The student intern will gain hands-on experience in legal advocacy through training and casework support within the Legal Advocacy Services (LAS) division. The internship begins with an introduction to the Illinois Guardianship and Advocacy Commission (IGAC) and LAS, including an overview of its mission, clients, and role in the Illinois mental health legal system.

Interns will receive targeted training on key areas of LAS legal work, including civil mental health cases, Lee Wesley cases, advanced directives, special education (SPED) law, and appellate work. They will also be introduced to LAS attorneys and learn about case-handling procedures.

After training, interns will work closely with an assigned LAS attorney, assisting with case preparation and legal research. This internship provides a structured opportunity to develop legal skills and gain insight into mental health and disability law.

Anticipated Starting Salary is $3,068/month; the monthly amount equals approximately $18.85/hour and can vary slightly depending on number of days available for work in the pay period and interns will be paid for the time worked.

Benefits Statement

As a State of Illinois employee, you are entitled to a robust benefits package that includes:

• Flexible work schedules in some program areas (flexible time and hybrid options)
• Health, life, vision and dental insurance
• 12 weeks paid maternity/paternity leave
• Pension Plan – vesting at 10 years for Tier II
• Full 20-year retirement awards free health insurance during retirement
• Deferred compensation and other pre-tax benefits programs
• Paid state holidays 13-14 days annually
• 3 Paid Personal Business Days annually
• 12 Paid Sick Days annually (Sick days carry over from year to year)
• 10-25 Days of Paid Vacation time annually - (10 days in year one of employment)
• Personal, sick, and vacation rates modified for 12-hour work schedules. (As applicable.)
• Employee Assistance Program and/or mental health resources

For more information about our benefits please follow this link: https://www2.illinois.gov/cms/benefits/Pages/default.aspx

Essential Functions

• Performs legal research for LAS staff, participates in nonlegal research, gathers and investigates legally related matters, conducts statistical, documentary, and legal research, and takes part in orientation and on-the-job training.
• Prepares legal memoranda, legal opinions, or other documents for LAS staff.
• Performs general legal support services.
• Analyzes legal decisions and opinions from primary and secondary sources and presents findings to supervisors or relevant staff.        
• Communicates with licensees and members of the public regarding matters within the Department’s jurisdiction.
• Performs other duties as required or assigned which are reasonably within the scope of the duties enumerated above.

Minimum Qualifications

• Requires knowledge, skill and mental development equivalent to the completion of high school and active enrollment at a college.

Preferred Qualifications (In Order of Significance)

• Prefers active enrollment in a law school.
• Prefers a bachelor’s degree in Business, Political Science, Public Administration, Legal Studies, Communication, or similar field.
• Prefers successful completion of at least 24 credit hours of law school.

Conditions of Employment

• Requires completion of a background check and self-disclosure of criminal history.
• Upon graduation, an intern must meet the minimum qualification for the target title of the internship.  For this internship, the target title is Technical Advisor I, and the minimum qualifications for the title are required graduation from a recognized law school. If the minimum qualifications for the target title are not met at the time of graduation, the internship will end without being offered placement into the targeted Trainee title.
• The conditions of employment listed here are incorporated and related to any of the job duties as listed in the job description.

About the Agency

​​​​​​Created in 1979, the Illinois Guardianship and Advocacy Commission protects the rights and promotes the welfare of persons with disabilities. A board of 11 commissioners, who serve without compensation, govern the agency. The Commission is an executive state agency created to safeguard the rights of persons with disabilities. By providing legal representation, investigating complaints of rights violations, and providing state guardianship for Illinois’ population with disabilities, the Commission has given a voice to those who have previously gone unheard.